Employee absence eats into company profits. The problem isn’t just the direct costs of paying workers while they are off sick. When you add all the indirect costs, including lost production and paying for staff cover, absenteeism can consume as much as 15% of an organisation’s payroll, according to one study.

Ahh, employee assessments. That time of year that everyone loves to hate. While employee reviews are scorned by staff far and wide, statistics show that many companies have no inclination of getting rid of them. They are, and potentially always will be, a workplace standard. Yet, in a recent study nearly one quarter of people polled indicated they were afraid of these reviews. So how to improve upon an age-old tactic?

For many, it’s the ultimate goal, the ambitious intention, the just out of reach vision. Heading up a high-productivity, low-drama team is everyone’s dream. Of course, working in close quarters for hours on end may eventually precede some conflict. But a well-organized and high-functioning collaboration can weather any storm. Below, four simple strategic initiatives to create a harmonious and highly efficient team environment.